Escapement mechanism for type-writers.



No. 759,780. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904. F. X. WAGNER.

BSGAPEMENT MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 12. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IIIIIHW WITNESSES:

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PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

P. X. WAGNER, E'SOAPEMENT MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR J21 as. 7/

BY m; W

fi ATTORNEYS no MODEL.

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WITNESSES d2. @WM W 6% No. 759,780. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

' F. X. WAGNER.

ESGAPEMENT MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLIGATIDN FILED JUNE 12. 1908.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR wnmgssg; i 2 O 2 l .70 BY fi m ATTORNEYS Patented May 10, 1904.

UNITED STAT s PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ X. WAGNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNDER- OOD TYPEVVRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ESCAPEMENT MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,780, dated May 10, 1904:.

Original application filed July 5, 1902, Serial No. 11%362. Divided and this application filed June 12, 1908. Serial N0.161,186-

(No model.)

citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Bronx, city, county, and State of 7 New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Escapement Mechanism for Type-Writers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to escapement mechanism for type-writers, and has for its object to improve the eseapement mechanism, to provide in connection With the universal bar means for stopping it before the type reaches the printing-point, so that the impact or 1110 mentum of the key-levers alone will effect the impression, and to provide sundry silent keys-that is, keys which will print without causing a feed of the carriage.

I desire it to be understood that while I have shown what I consider at present to be the most effective manner of carrying out my invention various modifications may be made in the arrangementand construction of the several parts Without departing from the na-. ture of my invention.

This application is a division of one filed by me in the United States Patent Office July 5, 1902, Serial No. 114,362.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a central sectional elevation of a type-writing machine provided with my im-. provements. Fig. 2 is a detail rear view of the escapement mechanism and the parts connected therewith. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation in the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4, Fig. 5 Fig. 6, and Fig. 7 are detail views, on an en larged scale, of the escapement, showing the escapement-dogs in successive positions; and Fig. 8 is an isolated view of the link 31.

5 represents the type-levers carrying the type 6 and fulcrunied at 7 upon brackets 8, which are attached to the segment 9, which forms part of or is secured to the frame 10 of the machine. Each of the type-levers is connected pivotally at 11 with a link 12, the rear end of which is pivotally connected at 13 to an elbow-lever 1 1, fulcrumed at 15 upon the frame of the machine. The lower member of the elbow-lever 14 extends forward and is 5 slotted to receive a pin 16 upon the rear por tion of the key-leverl'l, which is fulcrumed upon a rod or pivot 18, arranged to lit into a recess 19. The key-lever is pressed forward and held in a normal position by the spring 20, one end of which engages aprojection 17 on the key-lever, while its other end abuts against an adjustable screw 21, supported upon the frame of the machine. Thus the action of each key is capable of being adjusted independently. l/Vhen the key 22 is pressed down,

it operates the corresponding type lever 5 5 and also by means of an arm 17 acts on the universal bar 23 to operate the escapement. .l1is bar is movable from front to rear, its 5 movement being limited by a stop 23, which is so arranged that the motion of the key-lever will be stopped before the type-lever is in the printing position, so that the printing will be effected by the momentum the type has ac- 7 quired. The universal bar is connected with an arm 24, whichis hung upon a link 25, fulcrumed upon the frame at 26. The arm 2a is. guided by a hook 27, which straddles the said arm 24:. At its rear end the arm 2 1 is forked and has lateral pins 28, one of which is adapt ed to be engaged at a time by a coupling member 29, the ends of which are slotted for this purpose. This couplingmember isinj ier manent engagement with screws or asse, 30 which are secured to a link 31, fulcrunied at 31 upon a stationary part of the machine. (See Fig. 8.) The rear end of said link 31 is pivotally connected with a vertically-movable rod 32, whichis rigidly but adjustably attached 5 to a feed-bar 33 by means of a screw 34. This feed-bar is drawn downward and to one side by a spring 35 and works on the escapen'ient in such a manner as to cause the carriage to advance a letter-s pace at eachdownward stroke 9 of the feed-bar. The details of the escapement and its operation will be explained hereinafter. When the cormling-pin 29 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 3,'the rearward movement of the universal bar 23 upon the depression of a key will produce a downward movement of the feed-bar 33, and therefore the feed of the carriage will occur during the rearward movement of the universal barthat is, immediately before the printing is effected. I thus obtain a quick feed of the carriage, such as is desirable for expert operators. WVhen it is desired tofeed the carriage in the ordinary waythat is, after the printingthe coupling member 29 is shifted to its other position, a handle 29 being provided for this purpose, so that the upper end of the coupling member is disengaged from the upper pin 28, while its lower end is engaged with the lower pin 28. With the parts in this position the rearward movement of the universal bar will cause an upward movement of the feed-bar 33, and the operative downward stroke of the feed-bar will occur during the forward or return movement of the universal bar. This movement is obtained by means of an arm 36, engaging the end of the arm 24 and fulcrumed at 37, the lower end of said arm having a series of perforations 36, adapted to receive the rear end of a spring 38, the front end of which is connected with a bracket 39 on the frame.

The feed-bar 33 is guided in its vertical movement by projections 40 on the arm and has a reduced portion 40 so located that when the feed-bar rises to a certain extent the reduced portion will register with the guide 40, so that the feed-bar can be readily removed.

To one of these projections 40 are secured springs 41, connected with feed-dogs 42 and 43, adapted for engagement with the rack 44, rigid with the carriage. Each of the feeddogs has a longitudinal slot engaged by a fulcrum pin or screw 45, which is stationary. The length of each of these slots is equal to a letterspace. The upper end of the feed-bar has two operating members 46 and 47, which are adapt- .ed to engage projections 42 and 43 on the feeddogs. The distance between the operating members 46 47 is slightly less than the normal distance between the two feed-dogs, so that in the position shown in Fig. 2 the feedbar is in operative relation to but one of the feed-dogs. If now the feed-bar is moved downward, the feed-dog 43 will be moved away from the rack 44, (see Fig. 4,) and the spring 41, connected with said feed-dog, will move it lengthwise of the rack to the left, as best shown in Fig. 5. As soon as the feeddog 43 is clear of the rack 44 the feed-dog 42 will move forward under the influence of the spring which propels the carriage until stopped by'the operating member 47 of the feed-bar 33, as shown in Fig. 4, the carriage having traveled one letter-space to the right during this operation.

hen the feed-bar 33 is again allowed to rise, it will have assumed the position shown in Fig. 6 and will then be in operative relation to the feed-dog 42. Upon then again depressing the feed-bar the operating member 47 will engage the feed-dog 42 and press it downward and disengage the same from the rack, as illustrated in Fig. 7, and the spring 41, connected with said dog 42, will move it to the left to engage the rack for the next operation. The moment the dog 42 is clear of the rack, however, the dog 43 will move to the right under the influence of the carriage-propelling spring from the position illustrated in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 7 the operating member 46 of the feedbar 33 having passed to the right of the dog 43, meanwhile acting as a stop, so that the carriage will again have moved to the right the distance of one letter-space. If the feedbar is now again permitted to rise, the parts will have returned to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the operations as described will be repeated. The position of the feed-dogs is therefore is not always the same, but varies at each movement of the feed-bar. In any event, however, one of the feed-dogs acts as a stop to temporarily hold the carriage, while the other feed-dog is shifted lengthwise of the carriage to a new spacing position, and the feed-dogs alternate in these functions.

48 is a spring, and 49 a brake-cushion for retarding the movement of the carriage 49 when the feed-dogs are released.

50 is the platen.

51 is a roller mounted on a rear portion of the carriage 49 and permits the carriage being advanced to the right or left on the rod or track 52. 53 is a similar roller for a similar purpose at the front of the carriage and works in conjunction with the track 54. The roller 53 is mounted on that part of the machine which ordinarily serves to shift the platen portion of the carriage into the upper printing position. The rearward movement of the universal bar 23 is arranged to lift the central portion of the inked ribbon 56. This is done through thd medium of the link 25, which at its upper end has a loose connection with a carrier 57, provided with a ribbon-guide 58. Ribbon shields or guides for holding the ribbon adjacent to the printingpoint generally have a purely vertical movement. In my construction, however, the ribbon moves not only up and down, but backward and forward at the same time. This avoids the danger of tearing when the carriage travels or when the paper is released.

The carrier 57 is fulcrumed at 57 upon a member 55, which also carries the rollers 53. This member is fulcrumed at 55" and is a part of the mechanism for shifting the platen 50 into the upper printing position.

I may also provide one or more silent keys that is, keys which will print without causing a feed of the carriage for the purpose of making accent-marks and the like. This key is rtfrsf) connected with the feed-bar 33,, which. oper: ates the escapement in such a manner as to first move the said bar to one side (to the right in Fig. 2) and then move it down, so that the said bar will not engage the escape ment-dogs 42 and 4:3. The connection of the silent key with the feed-bar is, however, not permanent; but, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the key-lever 17 of one of the keys is preferably made of one piece in this case and operates on the universal bar and type-lever in the same manner as hereinbefore described, the movement of the universal bar causing the central ribbon-guide 58 to swing to the printing-point, as described. Under ordinary circumstances the movement of the universal bar would also operate the feed-bar 33 and cause the carriage to move. To avoid this, the portion 17 of the key-lever is connected with a link 59,pivotally connected to the crankarm on therock-shaft 61. This shaft carries another crankarm, 62, with which is connected a link 63, the rear end of which is pivotally connected with a lever 64, fulcrumed at 65. The upper end of this lever has a hinge-like projection 66, which is normally outside the .path of the feed-bar 33, but which when the key is depressed is swung into a notch 67 of the feed-bar, which notch has an inclined upper surface. Thus when the hook 66 is within the notch and the feed-bar begins to move downward owingto its connection with the universal bar the engagement of the hook 66 with the inclined surface of the notch 67 will cause the feed-bar to be moved to one side against the tension of the spring 35- that is, to the right in Fig. 2-so that both operating members 46 47 of the feed-bar will move down without operating the escapement. As soon as the key 17 which is adapted to act as a silent key, returns to its normal position the hook 66 swings back to the inactive position, in which it leaves the path of the feed-bar unobstructed, so that the latter will have its ordinary feed movement without any lateral movement. In order that the silentkey may be arranged at any section of the keyboard, the crank-arm 60 is preferably adjustable lengthwise on the rock-shaft 61, being held in the adjusted position by a setscrew 60, and the link 59, which is connected with the said crank-arm 60,: is forked at its forward end, so that it may bedetachably engaged with the key-lever. Thus by shifting the crank-arm 60lengthwise on the shaft 61 the link 59 can be brought into position for connection with any one of the keys. Of course when two or more silent keys are employed the parts will be simply duplicated.

In connection with the escapement mechanism hereinbefore described I wish to draw attention to the fact that by adjusting the feedbar 33 relatively to the rod 32 I can cause the escapement to act sooner or later, and this is a valuable feature.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. In an escapement mechanism for the car riages of type-writers and other machines, the combination with the carriage having a rack and spring-pressed dogs, each supported independently to swing on a stationary part, and also to slide lengthwise of the carriage to a limited extent, said dogs being adapted for engagement with the rack, of a feed-bar having two operating members located at a distance from each other which is smaller than the normal distance between those portions of the dogs which are adapted to be engaged by the feed-bar, and means for moving said feedbar to throw the feed-dogs alternately out of engagement with the carriage-rack.

2. In an escapement mechanism for the carriage of type-writers or other machines, the combination with the carriage having a rack and feed-dogs arranged to engage said rack, said dogs being mounted to swing and to slide on the frame of the machine, of a feed-bar having two operating members spaced from each other and adapted to engage the feed dogs alternately, the distance between the said operating members being such that when one of them engages one of the feed-dogs to swing it out of engagement with the rack, the other operating member is in front of the other feed-dog and acts as a lock therefor to prevent a movement of the carriage at this time, and means for operating said feed-bar.

3. In an escapement mechanism for machines having a traveling carriage, the combination with the carriage having a rack and feed-dogs mounted on the stationary part of the machine and adapted to engage said rack, of a feed-bar arranged to operate the said feed: dogs alternately, and means for shifting the said'feed-bar lengthwise of the carriage so that it will move without operating the escapement.

4. In an escapement mechanism for machines having atravelingcarriage, the c'ombi nation of two members, viz., a frame and a carriage, a rack on one of said members, cooperating feed-dogs on the other member, said feed-dogs being pivoted and being also mounted to slide on their pivots in the line in which the carriage moves, and a feed-bar arranged to engage the said feed-dogs alternately to bring them out of engagement with the rack.

5. In an escapement mechanism for machines having a travelingcarriage, the combination of two members, via, a frame and a carriage, a rack on one of said members, feeddogs mounted on the other member and adapted to engage the rack, said feed-dogs being mounted on pivots and being also capable of sliding on the pivots in the line in which the carriage moves, and a transversely-movable TOO feed-bar having two operating members arn ranged to engage the feed-dogs alternately, said operating members belng located at a distance from each other which is smaller than the normal distance between those portions of the feed-dogs which are adapted for engagement by the feed-bar, so that when one member of the feed-bar swings one of the feeddogs out of engagement with the rack, the other member of the feed-bar lies at one side of the other feed-dog and prevents longitudinal movement of said feed-dog and of the carriage.

6. In an escapement mechanism for machines having atraveling carriage, the combination of two members, viz., a frame and a carriage, a rack on one of said members, feeddogs pivotally and slidably mounted on the other member and adapted to engage the rack, a feed-bar movable transversely and having two operating members adapted to engage the feed-dogs alternately, and means for moving the feed-bar lengthwise of the carriage so that it may move transversely without operating either of the feed-dogs.

7. In a key-operated machine, the combination with a series of keys, a universal bar, a carriage and escapement mechanism, a feedbar for operating said mechanism, a link connected with said feed-bar, and means for connecting said link with the universal bar, either above or below the connection of said link with the feed-bar, whereby the escapement mechanism may be operated either by the depression of the keys or by the return movement thereof.

8. In a key-operated machine, the combina- -tion with keys, a universal bar operated by them, a carriage, escapement for the carriage, a feed-bar controlling the escapement mechanism, a link pivotally connected with said feed-bar and provided with pins located respectively above and below the pivoted connection of said link with the feed-bar, a member rigidly connected with the universal bar, adjacent to the pins on the link, and a coupling member slidably mounted on the pins of the link and arranged to engage one or the other of the pins connected with the universal bar, whereby the operative movement of the feed-bar may be caused to coincide with the depression of the keys or with the return movement thereof.

9. In a type-writing machine or the like,

the combination with a carriage,of escapement mechanism for controlling the feed of the carriage, said mechanism comprising a feed-bar and feed-dogs adapted to be engaged thereby, a silent key and means connected with said silent key for swinging the feed-bar laterally so that the feed member will not engage the feed-dog when the silent key is operating.

10. In a type-writing machine or the like, the combination with a carriage of an escapement comprising a rack on the carriage, feeddogs on the frame, and a feed-bar arranged to engage said dogs in its normal movement, a universal bar from which the said feed-bar receives its normal movement, a silent key arranged to operate said universal bar, and means controlled by said silent key for swinging the feed-bar to one side, so as to render it inactive.

11. In a type-writing machine or the like, the combination with a carriage of an escapement mechanism comprisinga rack, feed-dogs adapted to engage the same, a feed-bar movable transversely of the rack and arranged to separate the feed-dogs therefrom, said feedbar being provided with an inclined shoulder, means for moving said feed-bar transversely, a silent key and a stop adapted to be projected into the path of the inclined face of the feed-bar by the movement of the silent key, so that the feed-bar will be deflected to one side and will remain without action on the feeddogs when the silent key is operated.

12. In a type-writing machine or the like, the combination with a carriage of an escapement mechanism comprising a rack, feed-dogs adapted to engage the rack, a feed-bar controlling the engagement of the feed-dogs with the rack, a universal bar controlling the normal movement of the feed-bar, a ribbon-guide operated by the said universal bar, a silent key arranged to operate the universal bar,

and means also operated by the said silent key for changing the position of the feed-bar when said key is depressed in such a manner that the feed-bar will remain without action upon the feed-dogs.

13. In a type-writing machine or the like, the combination with a movable ribbon-guide, and a rock-shaft operatively connected with said ribbon-guide, of keys adapted for use as silent keys, and connecting mechanism slidable lengthwise along said rock-shaft and adapted for connection with any one of said keys.

1 1. In a type-writing machine or the like, the combination of an escapement mechanism, a carriage controlled thereby, a universal bar controlling the escapement, a removable ribbon-guide likewise controlled by said universal bar, keys for operating the universal bar, mechanism for rendering the escapement inactive so as to cause the universal bar to move without feeding the carriage, and means adjustable lengthwise of the carriage-path for connecting said mechanism with any one of said keys whereby such key will become a silent key. I

15. In a type-writing machine or the like, the combination with a carriage, of an escapement mechanism therefor, of keys controlling said escapement mechanism, and means for rendering the escapement mechanism inactive, said means being adjustable lengthwise of the carriage-path and being adapted for COHHBC".

tion with different keys.

16. In a type-writing machine or the like, the combination with a carriage, of an escapement mechanism therefor, a feed-bar arranged to normally operate the escapement mechanism, mechanism for throwing the feed-bar In testimony whereoflhave signed my name aside so that it will remain inactive, keys for to this specification in the presence of two sub- 10 operelting th1efeedb1er, :Lncle connecting meniscribing' witnesses.

her at justab e len t lwise of the carriage-pat 1 1 r w and operatively connected with the mechanliRANA WAGNER ism which throws the feed-bar laterally, said Witnesses:

connecting device being adapted for connec- J ()IIN LOTKA,

tion to different keys. JOHN A. KEHLENBECK. 

